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”Who are these guys?!” was the question I kept asking myself regarding The University of Akron’s 2018 Football Recruiting Class. The local newspapers gave Akron’s February 7th, 2018 National Signing Day virtually no print space. Northeast Ohio television stations all but ignored the event. And the various internet recruiting websites again focused their columns on the Power 5 programs. Aside from the noble efforts of a couple local AM radio sports talk personalities, the Zips signing day coverage fell well short of what a real fan wanted to learn about the class, and certainly beneath the coverage it merited. 2018 has a chance to be a great year for Zips football, and the kids bound to these 25 letters of intent have some really interesting storylines. So I thought I would head down to the Zips football offices and see if Head Coach Terry Bowden would give me a little time to discuss the class. Here’s what he had to say. Program Growth Generating a Bright Future

He just indicated he'd had enough and that the kids deserved better than the officiating gave them. He specifically referenced the Duvivier call resulting in him fouling out.

I think this was Coach Groce's first (and inevitably, his 2nd) T of the year. If I am mistaken, please let me know. I thought he showed remarkable restraint all year by not getting a few T's earlier this season. He's not the 1st MAC coach to be ejected and he won't be the last. Perspective: There were 32.5 seconds left in the game and Zips were down 9. He's a big boy, if he gets fined and/or reprimanded, he'll take care of it and move on. I'm very happy he stuck up for his players.

Go away troll.

UA needs to be careful in complaining about Mayborg. They don't need a complaint about discriminating against the blind.

It almost looks like he signals to his assistants, "Can you guys handle this? Hold my beer; I'm going in."

great interview....is it August yet? excited to see these new players

I will say it again, Buddy Mayborg is the worst official in the MAC. KD had many run ins with this idiot during his time here. Arrogant SOB ref.

Good Lord, almost made it to the other sideline. Can't wait for the post-game with Frenchy! He sure as hell got his money's worth!

GREAT ejection by Groce. That was for his team. They've fought HARD, and he will fight for them.

Well, we're here at last, the last game of the regular season. A painful season for which some of the bad taste could be washed away with a home thumping of our friends from Ravenna.

Tyler Warner! Fantastic interview! Keep up the strong work!

Meet the 2018 Zips Men's Soccer Recruiting Class with Head Coach Jared Embick http://uazips.blogspot.com/2018/02/meet-2018-zips-mens-soccer-recruiting.html

From my experience you're talking a couple full schollys if you have a few studs, and 9-10 split over 25 or so with some walk-ons.. a 1/4 scholly is the minimum, so at most, we can have 20 scholarship players receiving 25% scholarship, and 15 walk-ons

11.5 for a 35 player roster.

Yep, while the Cleveland news outlets beat them to the Akron news.

Last dip as a Zip leaves GlenOak grad Susan Franz with championship Nice article in the Canton Rep.

Shout out to Just a Blog for pointing out TJ's offer. T.J. Moss, 3-star 2G, 6-4, 180, Findlay Prep in Henderson, NV (though he is originally from Memphis) TJ Moss 247Sports Rated a 4-star player by ESPN. Great offer list Rivals dot com lists him as a 3-star PG

It seems to be encouraging that he mentioned us by name, instead of grouping us with "among others".

I didn't watch the game but looked at the replay to see what the fuss was about. I am so happy that Groce did that. I can't speak for the players, but I can say as a fan that we needed him to stand up to these clowns especially Buddy Mayborg. Frankly, I hope he keeps it up next year and invigorates the fans, so we can create a truly hostile environment at the JAR. As I said in another thread, I saw Ball State and BG get f'ed over by bad calls at the end of their games Saturday. The coaches need to stand up to these guys.

I had the same thought but since we play Friday we have no way of knowing what to do. If we played Saturday night I would dump the game in a flash to play at Kent. I know that you do not believe that we have a snowballs chance of going anywhere but this team is playing as a team, playing good defense and the coach finally likes the product on the floor. Maybe we can have a team overachieve in the MAC Tourney. Finally, I know we have similar beliefs about Klac's abilities, but he played good basketball the last 5 minutes. I really want him to do well but he drives me crazy when he hesitates under the basket and just will not take the ball straight up. If he takes the ball straight up he gets that call that upset Groce. He who hesitates is lost.

On the bus ride home the guys are not going to be thinking about the loss. They are going to be thinking about how coach went off on that ass hat ref!

I like the fire.

This is awesome. He is a great interview every time.

Groce waited until the end as to not effect his teams chances, but he forced that ref to T him up. My opinion is he made damn sure the league witnessed it. I am thinking he might be sending a message higher up, not just to that ref directly. Groce can get worked up, but I have never witnessed that approach ever.

It's not like getting tossed from games for being hotheaded is a new experience for Groce.

I wish to take a moment to note that I was the first one, after watching him in someone else's practice jersey to tell the Nation to keep an eye on this guy! Unfortunately, he never developed the 20-foot jumper he displayed at the University of Hawaii practice gym. But BIG credit for coming through when the team really needed him! Big <3!

Agreed, love it. Shows the players his support when the game was over leading up to the rivalry game!

I don't think the loss of Poke and Sayles can be overstated enough. Inside game has been an issue all year. Same on song and dance. Hopefully we can finish the year out on a bright note by beating Kent at home.

"New York's Public Powerhouse"?

Just for the record...This morning's paper showed the poutine kids from Niagara Falls as 16 point favorites today. 15 minutes to play...tie score!

Apple TV with the ESPN app working like a charm.

Great news. He really showed himself to be a team guy while he spent last year rehabbing

No, that would be allowed. Its also why you can throw an inbounds pass into the back court. You do not have possession unless you hold the ball inbounds.

They never had possession. The free throw counts as a missed shot. Its an open ball until someone grabs it. A tip doesn't count for possession.

I think some success can be gained by giving the young guys a taste of what the tournament in Cleveland is about. Just getting them there, and getting them comfortable with the logistics of the tournament would be a good step IMO.

The NCAA has granted University of Akron football player Mykel Traylor-Bennett a sixth year of eligibility after missing the 2017 season. Traylor-Bennett earned a bachelor’s degree in Summer 2017 and is pursuing a master’s degree in sport science and coaching. “We are very excited that the NCAA has accepted the waiver he applied for because of medical hardship to receive a sixth year of eligibility, very similar to what Warren Ball went through,” seventh-year head coach Terry Bowden said. “It’s so good for Mykel Traylor-Bennett who had an ACL injury last year after previously having an injury that kept him out of the 2015 season. What that does is it brings us back to a player who as a true freshman started several games at wide receiver. We moved him to tight end, and he started for us there, but now we’re able to move him back out to wide receiver. He can give us a physical presence, very much like Jerome Lane did. That’s what we’re excited about. I’m not sure if there’s going to be a more physical wide receiver in the conference than Mykel Traylor-Bennett.” “I never doubted God’s plan,” Traylor-Bennett said. “Adversity makes the man.”

Every Zips fan in the JAR should get on their feet for this kid Friday night! He's worked his arse off for the Zips and has made a difficult injury situation a little more tolerable. Seems like just yesterday that he came into the Marshall game and I looked at my wife and said "who in the hell is that?"

Chuck said he needs something to do in his retirement, so I've offered him the position of Senior ZipsNation Sideline Correspondent. And, at triple my ZipsNation.org salary. Awaiting his reply.

Seriously lucky to have someone of his pedigree wind up at UA (let alone as a coordinator) and it paid off.

Most years it gets you excited. This year it is just depressing.

Glad they bolded the Bye week so that I know it is a home game.

He needed to go up stronger and hesitate less, but I don't know how they didn't call a foul there.

Mark gets hacked and no call. Results in Buffalo 2 on the other end so instead of a tie game we are down 4.